Prep work

Soaking Sabudana

• Clean and rinse the sabudana well
  2 cup 400 grams Sabudana
• Rinse 2-3 times in clean tap water.
• Drain all the excess water.
• Soak the sabudana in just enough water.
• Tip - I like to keep around ¼ cm of the water layer on the top.

Roasting Peanuts

• Dry roast the peanuts in a wok or in an oven.
• Let them cool completely.
• Once done, remove the skin of the peanuts.
• Coarsely ground half the peanuts
• Coarsely ground the remaining half of the peanuts.
• Roasted peanuts stay good for a month or two in a clean air-tight container at room temperature.

Boil the potatoes

• Boil the potatoes 1 day before or at least 4-5 hours before making the vadas.
• They need to be cooled completely before adding to the vadas.

Making of the Vada Mixture

• In a large bowl, add the sabudana.
  2 cup 400 grams Sabudana
• Add the ground peanuts.
  ½ Cup coarsely grounded roasted peanuts
• Mash the potatoes really well. There should not be any big bites in between.
  2 cup 4 medium-sized boiled potatoes
• Add the cumin seeds, green chili, salt, sugar, lemon juice, and Coriander.
  1-1.5 teaspoon lemon juice, 5-6 Green chilies finely chopped as per taste, Salt, Chopped Coriander, 1-1.5 tablespoon Cumin Seeds
• Mix everything.
• Make lemon size balls in between your hand.
• First, shape the balls by pressing them tight between your hands. Once you attain the shape, either you can make it round or flatten it between your palms.
• If the vada mixture is sticking to your hand, clean your hand with a spoon, apply some oil or some water to your hands, and shape them.
• Shape all and refrigerate for 20-30 minutes. Optional step, but best for crunchy vadas.

Air-Frying Vadas

• Preheat the air-fryer at 180 Deg C/ 356 Deg F. For my Cosori air fryer, it takes 4 minutes.
• Once done, spray the baking tray with a little oil.
  1 tablespoon oil
• Arrange the vadas on the tray.
• Spray the top again with some oil.
• Air-Fry it for 15 minutes at 180 Deg C/ 356 Deg F.
• After 15 minutes flip them, and spray a little oil if they appear dry.
• Air Fry again for 5-6 minutes at 200 gDeg C/ 392 Deg F until they are done.

Frying Vadas

• Heat oil in a large wok.
  1-2 cup Oil for frying
• The oil should be medium hot and not very hot. If you fry the vads in very hot oil, they might cook fast from the outside but would be raw from the inside.
• Slowly add the vadas in the oil, and cook them on one side for 2-3 minutes, until they start floating on the top, or appear somewhat cooked on the bottom.
• Flip and cook on both sides until golden brown.
• If your vadas are breaking, add more potatoes and bind again. Read the tips above.
• Yummy vadas are ready.